I'm really not a fan of Mauluga's. I think he fell because his football IQ is very low. In fact I believe him to be borderline retarded. I think he's the next LaVar Arrington. Byrd? I suppose, but I actually think Bruton and McBath might both emerge. Not saying they'll be better than Byrd, but they played well and I don't feel we "missed out" by taking them. Three safeties would have been a stupid draft. Darius Butler does look like the better corner at this stage, but one season in isn't enough for me to decide one way or the other. It will take several years to know for sure. And really, if Smith emerges then it's all moot.

Very true, but to me taking a CB that lacks size and speed when guys with good size AND speed are available is poor drafting. I think they were expecting Alphonso Smith to come in and be able to make all of these ballhawking type plays and now we are seeing that he has too many limiting factors (size and speed) to make the leap in the NFL.

As for Maualuga, I wouldn't argue that he's dumb as a box of rocks. But football IQ is not the issue with that guy. You can say he plays with wreckless abandon and sometimes that will cause him to be out of position, but there have been some really good players that lack discipline that have turned out to be just fine. One of the best DTs in the NFL right now (Haynesworth) is the epitomy of a player that lacks discipline within a system but still continues to make plays. Sometimes you have to be able to look at a player and say, yeah he isn't the sharpest cat, but all he does is make play after play. There are plenty of players like that in the NFL.

And when it's all said and done, I hope that Alphonso turns out to be a stud player. Maybe he just needs more time than most to make that leap, but I think it's fair to expect he at least break into the dime packages in year two. I mean, we're talking about the 37th overall pick and a player the Broncos thought very highly of, obviously. And don't forget during McD's end of season presser, he did mention the draft and did mention getting players that were a little bigger or a little faster. He also went on to talk about Smith and how he expected much much more from him beginning in year two. Now we have some conflicting camp reports regarding his play, but one thing is certain... based on the Broncos evaluation he is on the bubble right now and is the team's 10th DB.

My guess is to use it as a tactic to paint the Smith selection as one worse than it was. [Which is yet to be known for sure, he has played one season.]

"Well, look at these guys we could have had instead of Smith -- look how well they played!"

Who even knows if they were on our board or players we were even interested in. I see no sense in comparing the career of a cornerback to that of a linebacker or running back anyways. Clearly, it was the focus of the Broncos Brass two drafts ago to address the secondary by getting Smith, McBath and Bruton. We also did it this past draft too with Cox, Thompson and several UDFA's.

Smith should be judged based on his play, not what someone else on another team did that was drafted after he was selected by another team.

Right now Smith is playing behind one of the GOAT at his position and another solid veteran in Goodman. Hopefully in time, he'll be able to up his game and take over for them. The height of his selection would indicate that the coaches think that he can. Well, I'd assume.

My guess is to use it as a tactic to paint the Smith selection as one worse than it was. [Which is yet to be known for sure, he has played one season.]

"Well, look at these guys we could have had instead of Smith -- look how well they played!"

Who even knows if they were on our board or players we were even interested in. I see no sense in comparing the career of a cornerback to that of a linebacker or running back anyways. Clearly, it was the focus of the Broncos Brass two drafts ago to address the secondary by getting Smith, McBath and Bruton. We also did it this past draft too with Cox, Thompson and several UDFA's.

Smith should be judged based on his play, not what someone else on another team did that was drafted after he was selected by another team.

Right now Smith is playing behind one of the GOAT at his position and another solid veteran in Goodman. Hopefully in time, he'll be able to up his game and take over for them. The height of his selection would indicate that the coaches think that he can. Well, I'd assume.

Okay, right now Smith is behind the GOAT, our 2nd CB who was ranked #82 in overall YPA... he was ranked 70th or worse in the short, medium, deep, and vertical levels. He was the 2nd worst starting CB in the entire NFL based on YPA. Also, in case you haven't seen the depth chart lately, a 5th round pick is in front of him, a 2nd year UDFA, and a FA pick up from Miami who has generally looked pretty damn poor in camp. I'll give Smith credit though, he has managed to hold off 7th round pick Syd' Thompson and has the team's 6th CB spot secured at this point. So you have Champ, Goodman, Cox, Jones, and then maybe you can start talking about where Smith fits in the competition with guys like Carter, Vaughn, Thompson, and the rest of the no-namers.

It has everything to do with what he's shown on the field. And you can attribute it to being young all you like, the fact of the matter is you have two young guys in front of him right now in a 5th round pick and an UDFA from Smith's same draft class.

Okay, right now Smith is behind the GOAT, our 2nd CB who was ranked #82 in overall YPA... he was ranked 70th or worse in the short, medium, deep, and vertical levels. He was the 2nd worst starting CB in the entire NFL based on YPA.

Do you really believe Goodman was the one of the worst starting cornerbacks in the NFL last season?

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Also, in case you haven't seen the depth chart lately, a 5th round pick is in front of him, a 2nd year UDFA, and a FA pick up from Miami who has generally looked pretty damn poor in camp. I'll give Smith credit though, he has managed to hold off 7th round pick Syd' Thompson and has the team's 6th CB spot secured at this point. So you have Champ, Goodman, Cox, Jones, and then maybe you can start talking about where Smith fits in the competition with guys like Carter, Vaughn, Thompson, and the rest of the no-namers.

Glad to hear that Cox is impressing in camp. I've read mixed reports on Nate Jones, ups and downs. And FWIW, Smith is not behind Tony Carter, he is actually ahead of him. He would be the fifth. Nice try, though. Plus, it is early on in the pre-season. Where Smith is right now doesn't matter to me, it is where he ends up performing -- and I hope for our sake and his, it is better than a sub-package corner.

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It has everything to do with what he's shown on the field. And you can attribute it to being young all you like, the fact of the matter is you have two young guys in front of him right now in a 5th round pick and an UDFA from Smith's same draft class.

Once again, I fail to see where Carter is ahead of him.

Bailey, Goodman, Cox, Jones, Smith and Carter is how I read the chart. Are you looking at it upside down?

Unlike you, I am not going to judge Smith's worthiness on the team after one season. I'll wait and see how it plays out.

Do you really believe Goodman was the one of the worst starting cornerbacks in the NFL last season?

Glad to hear that Cox is impressing in camp. I've read mixed reports on Nate Jones, ups and downs. And FWIW, Smith is not behind Tony Carter, he is actually ahead of him. He would be the fifth. Nice try, though. Plus, it is early on in the pre-season. Where Smith is right now doesn't matter to me, it is where he ends up performing -- and I hope for our sake and his, it is better than a sub-package corner.

Once again, I fail to see where Carter is ahead of him.

Bailey, Goodman, Cox, Jones, Smith and Carter is how I read the chart. Are you looking at it upside down?

Unlike you, I am not going to judge Smith's worthiness on the team after one season. I'll wait and see how it plays out.

Okay, you can split hairs over who is our 5th and 6th CB. Fact is, it's between the 37th overall pick and an UDFA that out played him in their rookie seasons. Sorry, but I expect more out of a high 2nd round pick.

Not splitting hairs, I am just reading the depth chart as is. You were disingenuous about it.

Happens all the time.

Yes, and I do too -- I think we all do. My point is that I will give him more than just a year before I go and throw him under the bus. Reminds me of the Steelers/Woodley situation.

How does it remind you of Woodley? Two completely different positions. Didn't you say earlier that it was pointless to compare Smith to a player of a different position? But even if we go down that path, Woodley earned signficant playing time in year one. He was even able to get three or four sacks that first year. By the 2nd year he was a starter and not even close to battling for a roster spot... he then went on to have double digit sacks.

I hope for our sake that Smith makes the team and has some sort of showing to give us hope for the future. Right now, he is battling for a roster spot!

Sat, 14 Aug 2010 18:37:57 -0400 San Diego Chargers LB Shawne Merriman said his holdout of the offseason workouts and training camp was a waste of time because he will not be getting a new contract, reports Aaron Wilson, of NationalFootballPost.com. "I didn't accomplish anything at all," Merriman said. "I always knew that I was wanted here, which was one of the biggest reasons for getting things sorted out. You hate to deal with the whole business part of it, but I'm so glad it's behind me and I can go out and play."

It sounds to me that Smith sucks at zone but is great in coverage. Unfortunately for him Champ and Goodman have the 1 and 2 corners locked up so there's no room for Smith until one of them gets hurt. Anyway I don't think the FO drafted him to play in nickel and dime packages, they drafted him to be a 1 or 2 corner...

How does it remind you of Woodley? Two completely different positions. Didn't you say earlier that it was pointless to compare Smith to a player of a different position? But even if we go down that path, Woodley earned signficant playing time in year one. He was even able to get three or four sacks that first year. By the 2nd year he was a starter and not even close to battling for a roster spot... he then went on to have double digit sacks.

I said it was pointless to compare the successes of other players on different teams in order to try and not justify our selection of Smith.

I am comparing their situations and what their fan bases were saying. Fans expected more out of Woodley than what he showed in his first year. A lot of people were already calling him a bust because he didn't play lights out his rookie year. The past two seasons, he has performed extremely well and been one of the better young pass rushers in the league. He earned his role, good on him.

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I hope for our sake that Smith makes the team and has some sort of showing to give us hope for the future. Right now, he is battling for a roster spot!

The Broncos aren't going to cut Smith after one season. He will make the team. It really isn't that big of a battle.

GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP)—Jake Delhomme’s(notes) Cleveland Browns debut was a smashing success. No one was happier than Josh Cribbs.

Delhomme led the Browns to a touchdown in his only drive and Green Bay’s Aaron Rodgers(notes) threw one of his own in Cleveland’s 27-24 win on Saturday night in the exhibition opener decided on Phil Dawson’s(notes) field goal as time expired.

“It’s preseason, it doesn’t count. But hey, everybody has a smile on their face,” Delhomme said.

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Cribbs certainly did. At times last year, he seemed like Cleveland’s only offensive weapon in a 5-11 season. Against the Packers, he didn’t touch the ball.

“I wanted to sit back and put my hat on and watch,” Cribbs said. “I was just amazed at how quick he picked up on the offense and how he just was boom-boom-boom through his reads. You see the veteran play in him. It’s very promising.”

Delhomme went 6 of 7 for 66 yards, including a fourth-and-1 flick to Mohamed Massaquoi(notes) for 12 yards that set up Jerome Harrison’s(notes) 4-yard TD run. Backup Seneca Wallace(notes) added two touchdown passes.

“Everybody offensively did a great job. From what I saw last year on film, it’s totally different. They’re very eager to get better,” Wallace said. “We’re moving in the right direction and that’s what you want, a lot of guys who want to get better.”

Rodgers was similarly efficient, reading a corner blitz for a 25-yard TD pass to Greg Jennings(notes). He finished 12 of 13 for 159 yards, but the Packers lost starting running back Ryan Grant(notes) after a hit to the head.

“When you can throw the ball to the kind of guys we can throw it to, it’s going to be just on me to be accurate,” Rodgers said. “We’re always talking about rhythm on offense, and the play calling I really felt like got us into a good rhythm.”

Rodgers completed his first 10 passes, beginning his streak after Grant left. Grant fumbled on his first touch that Cleveland converted for a touchdown before being hit hard on his third carry by Chris Gocong(notes) and Robaire Smith(notes).

He stumbled badly getting to his feet and did not return.

“Did it look like I got stung a little bit?” Grant asked, laughing. “If it was the regular season, I definitely would’ve tried to get back in the game (even) with all the head stuff going on, how they handle that.”

Cleveland’s hopes to improve begin with the 35-year-old Delhomme, who signed after his release from Carolina. His last year with the Panthers was one to forget with 18 interceptions and three lost fumbles in 11 games.

New Browns president and former Packers coach Mike Holmgren watched the game in Cleveland while recovering from surgery on his right foot. No doubt he was pleased with Delhomme’s play and that of Dawson, who nailed a 58-yarder with 1:27 left and the 46-yarder to end it.

The Packers have been embracing high expectations early this season despite their defensive questions. The unit allowed 45 points in a first-round playoff loss to Arizona and is missing key contributors like linebacker Clay Matthews(notes) (hamstring) and cornerback Al Harris(notes) (knee).

“We’re not happy at all,” Charles Woodson(notes) said.

The prolific offense keeps making up for it.

Rodgers found Jennings after changing the play when he correctly read a corner blitz and tossed a perfect pass over Browns safety T.J. Ward(notes) that made it 14-7. John Kuhn(notes) tied the game on a 3-yard TD run on Green Bay’s next drive.

Browns third-string quarterback Colt McCoy(notes), the former Texas star who won more games than any other quarterback in Division I history, began his pro career midway through the second quarter. His night ended like his college career did, a trip to the locker room for tests. This time it was after banging his hand on the back of a teammate’s helmet.

Head coach Eric Mangini said he didn’t believe McCoy’s injury was serious, but they pulled him as a precaution.

That was the only downer for the Browns this night.

“Coach, in meetings he had, he had all the new guys stand up. It was almost the whole team,” Cribbs said. “We’re not the old Browns, we’re a new team, refreshed—new quarterback, new president, new everything and we’re ready to play some football.”

Notes: McCoy finished 5 of 10 for 25 yards with two interceptions against the Packers. He added 25 yards scrambling from trouble. … Browns backup NT Titus Adams(notes) (shoulder) left early in the second quarter. … Browns WR Jonathan Haggerty (foot) left in the third quarter and did not return. … Packers TE Tom Crabtree(notes) (hand) went in for X-rays. … Neither coach had updates on any of the injuries.

ST. LOUIS (AP)—Sam Bradford(notes) took the field to a big ovation. Soon enough, reality sank in for the centerpiece of the St. Louis Rams’ rebuilding effort.

The No. 1 overall pick had an early case of the jitters, short-arming a pitch and bobbling a snap the first two plays, looked poised while hitting four of his first five passes, then ended with an extended rough patch in the Minnesota Vikings’ 28-7 preseason-opening victory Saturday night.

“It was fun to get out there, get hit a couple times, get hit, get knocked down, get back up,” Bradford said. “Just getting back into the flow of a football game was fun.”

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Sage Rosenfels(notes), chasing Tarvaris Jackson(notes) for the Vikings’ quarterback job while Brett Favre(notes) waffles on his future, was a standout even though both starting wide receivers are out with injuries. Rosenfels threw for 157 yards and two touchdowns in the second quarter against the Rams’ second-teamers and added a 71-yarder to Marko Mitchell(notes) in the third quarter, finishing 23 of 34 for 310 yards.

The 32-year-old Rosenfels knew before the game that he would be getting a lot of playing time.

“Mentally I was going into the game thinking like it’s a full game, it’s not going to be one series or two series and out,” Rosenfels said. “I got more and more comfortable as the game went on. It’s been a while since I’ve been out there, seeing real live action. A lot of guys did a lot of good things.”

Jackson started but wasn’t out there for long, taking six snaps on the opening series while going 2 of 4 for 11 yards.

Vikings coach Brad Childress had no news on the Favre front.

“I didn’t have a vision before the game. Nothing’s changed,” Childress said. “You know, you can’t have your cell phones with you out on the sidelines.”

Bradford completed only two of his last eight passes against Vikings second-teamers, finishing 6 of 13 for 57 yards while getting sacked four times. The Vikings gave the 2008 Heisman Trophy winner’s surgically repaired right shoulder a battle test with Jayme Mitchell(notes) getting 1.5 sacks on consecutive plays in the second quarter.

“I took a couple, landed on the shoulder,” Bradford said. “It’s not sore at all. We’ll see tomorrow how it feels, but right now it feels great.”

Bradford’s debut probably should be graded on a curve, given Pro Bowl running back Steven Jackson did not take a snap and the Rams were the NFL’s puniest offense even with Jackson while going 1-15 last season. Jackson and Vikings star running back Adrian Peterson both dressed but only watched.

The Rams were handicapped the most, getting outgained 414-150, even though Childress took out all the starters except center Jon Cooper(notes) after the first series.

“In the first quarter we did a decent job,” coach Steve Spagnuolo said. “After that I think it’s obvious we’ve got a lot of things to work on, both sides of the ball.

“We’ve got plenty of time, nobody’s panicking.”

One of the players most victimized by the Vikings was right tackle Jason Smith(notes), the second overall pick last year who’s been bothered by a broken toe much of training camp.

St. Louis is 6-42 the last three seasons, a big reason the Edward Jones Dome was officially only two-thirds full with announced attendance of 40,801.

Bradford is the backup for now behind veteran A.J. Feeley(notes). But Feeley was shaky, narrowly avoiding interceptions on two passes that could have been returned for touchdowns while going 3 of 6 for 19 yards.

Danny Amendola(notes) scored on a 93-yard punt return for the Rams, but fumbled away his next chance at the Rams 16 that led to Rosenfels’ 2-yard touchdown pass to Logan Payne(notes) five plays later to tie it at 7. Garrett Mills(notes) whipped linebacker Chris Chamberlain(notes) on a 65-yarder the next series to put the Vikings ahead.

“Better now than in the regular season,” Amendola said. “Try to get the kinks worked out.”

Six Vikings offensive players did not play. Percy Harvin(notes) has missed all but two days of training camp due to migraine headaches and a funeral, and Sidney Rice(notes) has a hip injury.

Mills had four catches for 106 yards and a touchdown, Payne had seven catches for 52 yards and a touchdown and Mickey Shuler(notes) added a 2-yard grab from Joe Webb(notes).

The Houston Texans had little to complain about in their preseason opener at Arizona. Except, perhaps, the final score.

Schaub completed 5 of 6 passes for 78 yards, directing Houston to a field goal on its first possession and throwing a 44-yard touchdown pass to Andre Johnson(notes) on the second before retiring for good in a 19-16 preseason loss to the Cardinals on Saturday night.

“I thought we were sharp,” Schaub said, “on top of our stuff that we were executing.”

Rookie John Skelton(notes), whose uncle Javier Loya is a minority owner of the Texans, directed two late touchdown drives against the Houston reserves to give Arizona the victory.

Williams, battling a hip problem, sacked Leinart twice as Houston took a 16-0 lead. In Arizona’s first series, Williams pushed the Cardinals’ new starting right tackle Brandon Keith(notes) all the way into the quarterback.

“I felt like I wasn’t as smooth as I wanted to be but that is pretty much because I haven’t played, haven’t hit anybody, hadn’t put any pads on,” he said. “I will work it out. I will work the kinks out. It is still day by day.”

Leinart completed 6 of 7 for 49 yards but, in addition to the sacks, misconnected with Tim Hightower(notes) on a handoff, for a fumble. He didn’t stick around for the usual starting quarterback post-game news conference.

“I’m not pleased with how our offense performed in general,” he said. “It’s not so much the quarterback. We had guys the wrong routes, guys in the wrong spot. We had a protection breakdown, not a breakdown but we got beat. All things that we’ve got to clean up.”

Skelton, a fifth-round draft pick out of Fordham, connected with Jason Wright(notes) on a 15-yard pass play with 1:53 left for the deciding score. The 6-foot-5 Skelton completed 5 of 6 passes for 84 yards. Max Hall(notes), the undrafted rookie from BYU who is fighting Skelton for the No. 3 quarterback spot, didn’t play.

“It’s a different world coming from Fordham,” Skelton said, “and to make a step like that is very significant, actually. Being a rookie, fighting for a position on the team, every play counts. I just tried to take advantage of it.”

The Texans chose not to go for a game-tying 51-yard field goal at the finish.

“Our ones were very sharp. I thought they looked really good,” Houston coach Gary Kubiak said. “I thought defensively we played really good all night long. … There are a lot of positives to draw from and we have to draw from those and find a way to give the younger guys something better to work with so they can be successful. They really struggled.”

Houston backup Dan Orlovsky(notes) got extended playing time, completing 12 of 21 for 129 yards with no interceptions. He directed a 15-play, 86-yard drive that consumed 7:48 of the third quarter. It ended with Kris Brown’s(notes) second field goal of the game, a 26-yarder that put Houston up 16-0.

Schaub, who led the NFL in yards passing last season with 4,770, opened the game with a 10-play, 53-yard drive, culminated by Brown’s 31-yard field goal. On Houston’s second possession, Schaub connected with a wide-open Johnson, whose fake had left Arizona cornerback Justin Miller(notes) helplessly in his wake.

Arizona’s first possession went nowhere. Leinart and Hightower messed up a handoff for a fumble that loss 11 yards, then Leinart was sacked by Williams for a 12-yard loss. The next time the Cardinals had it, Leinart drove them from their own 21 to the Houston 32, but Jay Feely’s(notes) 50-yard field goal try was wide right.

Arian Foster(notes) started at running back ahead of Steve Slaton(notes) for Houston and gained 31 yards in four carries. Slaton rushed 10 times for 22 yards and fumbled the ball into the end zone at the goal line. Arizona recovered for a touchback.

Notes: Former Cardinals K Neil Rackers(notes), listed as Brown’s backup, kicked a 24-yard field goal with 37 seconds left in the first half. … Cardinals star Larry Fitzgerald(notes) took a nasty hit from safety Eugene Wilson(notes) as he caught a 16-yard pass from Leinart but stayed in the game. … Arizona second-round draft pick Daryl Washington(notes) strengthened his bid for a starting job at inside linebacker with a solid performance. … Houston rookie RB Ben Tate(notes) has an injured ankle but Kubiak didn’t know how serious it might be.

Balmer, selected by the 49ers in the first round of the 2008 NFL Draft, had 19 tackles in 27 games. He was a defensive tackle at the University of North Carolina but, the 49ers shifted him to defensive end in order to fit into their 3-4 scheme.
After Week 12 last season, Balmer was placed on injured reserve with a shoulder injury. He had been absent from San Francisco's training camp practices last week.

Five months after the Bengals signed free agent wide receiver Antonio Bryant, talk continues that Bryant will never play a down in Cincinnati.

The latest news comes from Jason La Canfora of NFL Network, who reports that the Bengals could reach an injury settlement with Bryant, who practiced on the first day of training camp but has been sidelined since because of his lingering left knee injury.

The Bengals already have paid Bryant $7.85 million in signing, roster, and workout bonuses. It's not clear what the financial terms of the injury settlement would be.

But it is clear that the Bengals are starting to regret signing Bryant to that four-year, $28 million contract. In the months since Bryant signed, Terrell Owens has arrived to play alongside Chad Ochocinco, and rookies Jordan Shipley and Jermaine Gresham looked good in the preseason opener.

Shipley has looked good in both games this year. That kid just has a knack for making plays. Reminds me of a Derek Jeter type. Nothing about him says superstar yet he is steady and makes play after play. I was happy for the former Horn.

The on-again, off-again drama that is Brett Favre now appears to be on again. A trio of Vikings teammates including Pro Bowl guard Steve Hutchinson, defensive end Jared Allen and kicker Ryan Longwell flew to Hattiesburg, Miss. to push Favre to give them one more season.
Favre informed the trio Tuesday that he is, in fact, back in and will rejoin the Vikings, FOXsports.com has learned.
In addition, Favre is on the plane with the players and is heading back to Minneapolis. However, while signs point to Favre coming back, neither he nor his agent have informed the team that he’s returning. And with Favre, another change of heart is certainly not out of the question.
Favre's official Web site e-mailed members of the media with the message: "Stay tuned for breaking news from the Minnesota Vikings today on Brett Favre's possible return."
This latest decision is a complete switch from two weeks ago, when Favre informed teammates that he was retiring -- citing wear and tear on his body -- in text messages seen by FOXSports.com. The team however, immediately responded by offering Favre more money, and teammates reached out imploring the quarterback to reconsider or to take more time.
Although Favre has frequently gone back and forth, it was widely assumed, in the end, that he would rejoin the Vikings. That belief was reinforced on Aug. 12 when the 11-time Pro Bowler and three-time All Pro traveled from Hattiesburg to Pensacola, Fla. to have his surgically repaired left ankle examined by Dr. James Andrews.
Tuesday’s morning meeting with Hutchinson, Allen and Longwell appears to have served its purpose. Favre, who led the Vikings to a 12-4 regular-season finish and the NFC title game last season, now appears fully prepared to play a 20th NFL season.